ReliefWeb

The Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, expressed his grave concern over the tragic conditions facing the Palestinians in Hebron due to the suffocating siege imposed by Israel on more than a hundred and eighty thousand Palestinians living in the occupied city in a bid to protect a handful of settlers who wreak havoc and devastation in the city.

He called on the United Nations to take on its responsibilities by providing protection for Palestinian civilians in Hebron against the attacks perpetrated by Israeli settlers.

In a similar vein, Ihsanoglu strongly condemned the Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip today, 5th November 2008, killing a number of citizens in spite of the truce that was declared and committed to by the Palestinian factions. This development confirms Israel's disregard for international law and its determination to carry on its aggression, which calls for swift international action to put an end to these violations.

The Secretary General called on the members of the Security Council and the UN Secretary General to act promptly to stop the Israeli aggression and take the proper measures likely to ensure the protection of the Palestinian people against the state terrorism practiced by Israel against Palestinian civilians.